Michael Gottlieb Agnethler
Encyclopedia
Michael Gottlieb Agnethler (June 10, 1719 – June 15, 1752) was a German
botanist and numismatist.
family of Hermannstadt
(now Sibiu, Romania
). The Agnethlers had been of a long, prestigious history, with many local socialites in the region. The name of the family originated from the Saxon town of Agnetheln.
Michael Agnethler was the only son of his family. The father was the principal of a gymnasium. Just after Michael's birth, his father was appointed pastor
of Gierelsau
(Bradu), so the family moved there, where Michael spent his childhood, then returning to Sibiu to attend school.
Michael Agnethler had been of a weak physical constitution, with difficulty sleeping. An anecdote is known, where Agnethler was frightened in his sleep by a fellow student—who jokingly mumbled "swim, you're drowning" into his ears—with Agnethler amidst a nightmare, moving his arms frantically like swimming.
at the University of Halle in 1742; other interests included Ancient Rome
antiquities
and numismatics
. Additionally, his physical frailness led him to start studying Medicine.
Agnethler eventually earned a Doctorate of Philosophy in 1750, and of Medicine
in 1751. Also in that year, he was given a position at the Akademie der Naturforscher, and soon afterwards became lecturer in Rhetoric, Antiquities, and Poetry at the University of Helmstedt
. However, he suffered a severe tuberculosis
infection
, and died soon thereafter, in 1752.
Michael Gottlieb Agnethler is also known as an entomologist.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
botanist and numismatist.
Early life
Michael Agnethler was born to an aristocratic Transylvanian SaxonTransylvanian Saxons
The Transylvanian Saxons are a people of German ethnicity who settled in Transylvania from the 12th century onwards.The colonization of Transylvania by Germans was begun by King Géza II of Hungary . For decades, the main task of the German settlers was to defend the southeastern border of the...
family of Hermannstadt
Sibiu
Sibiu is a city in Transylvania, Romania with a population of 154,548. Located some 282 km north-west of Bucharest, the city straddles the Cibin River, a tributary of the river Olt...
(now Sibiu, Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
). The Agnethlers had been of a long, prestigious history, with many local socialites in the region. The name of the family originated from the Saxon town of Agnetheln.
Michael Agnethler was the only son of his family. The father was the principal of a gymnasium. Just after Michael's birth, his father was appointed pastor
Pastor
The word pastor usually refers to an ordained leader of a Christian congregation. When used as an ecclesiastical styling or title, this role may be abbreviated to "Pr." or often "Ps"....
of Gierelsau
Bradu
Bradu is a commune in Argeş County, in southern central Romania. It is composed of two villages, Bradu and Geamăna....
(Bradu), so the family moved there, where Michael spent his childhood, then returning to Sibiu to attend school.
Michael Agnethler had been of a weak physical constitution, with difficulty sleeping. An anecdote is known, where Agnethler was frightened in his sleep by a fellow student—who jokingly mumbled "swim, you're drowning" into his ears—with Agnethler amidst a nightmare, moving his arms frantically like swimming.
Career
Agnethler started his studies of theologyTheology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
at the University of Halle in 1742; other interests included Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
antiquities
Antiquities
Antiquities, nearly always used in the plural in this sense, is a term for objects from Antiquity, especially the civilizations of the Mediterranean: the Classical antiquity of Greece and Rome, Ancient Egypt and the other Ancient Near Eastern cultures...
and numismatics
Numismatics
Numismatics is the study or collection of currency, including coins, tokens, paper money, and related objects. While numismatists are often characterized as students or collectors of coins, the discipline also includes the broader study of money and other payment media used to resolve debts and the...
. Additionally, his physical frailness led him to start studying Medicine.
Agnethler eventually earned a Doctorate of Philosophy in 1750, and of Medicine
Doctor of Medicine
Doctor of Medicine is a doctoral degree for physicians. The degree is granted by medical schools...
in 1751. Also in that year, he was given a position at the Akademie der Naturforscher, and soon afterwards became lecturer in Rhetoric, Antiquities, and Poetry at the University of Helmstedt
University of Helmstedt
The University of Helmstedt, official Latin name: Academia Julia , was a university in Helmstedt in the Duchy of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel that existed from 1576 until 1810....
. However, he suffered a severe tuberculosis
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
infection
Infection
An infection is the colonization of a host organism by parasite species. Infecting parasites seek to use the host's resources to reproduce, often resulting in disease...
, and died soon thereafter, in 1752.
Michael Gottlieb Agnethler is also known as an entomologist.